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Politics : Stockman Scott's Political Debate Porch -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: T L Comiskey who wrote (29511)	10/3/2003 4:04:47 PM
From: T L Comiskey	Respond to of 89467

Annan's Defiance of U.S. Puts Vote on Iraq in Doubt 10 minutes ago Add Top Stories - Reuters to My Yahoo! By Evelyn Leopold UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan (news - web sites)'s defiance of American plans on Iraq (news - web sites) on Friday threw into doubt approval of a U.S.-drafted resolution, with Security Council members expressing deep reservations. Spanish Ambassador Inocencio Arias, who supports the U.S. position, acknowledged at least six of the 15 council members might abstain on a vote on the resolution that seeks to recruit more troops and money. "This would be unacceptable," he told reporters, referring to a drive by Washington for unanimity. A minimum of nine votes is needed for adoption. Annan said the United Nations (news - web sites), which lost senior staff in the Aug. 19 bombing of its Baghdad offices, would continue humanitarian work. But he made clear he did not want to risk more lives for a marginal role in Iraq and that American plans for ending the occupation were on the wrong track. Whereas France alone had been openly critical of the U.S. draft, Annan's comments caused most of the Security Council to reconsider positions, according to ambassadors from Russia, China, Chile, Mexico, Germany and Syria. "Obviously it is not going in the direction I had recommended," Annan said of the resolution on Thursday. The United Nations wants to see a scenario in Iraq that would involve handing over sovereignty within months to an interim government, possibly by expanding the 25-member Iraqi Governing Council, which could then ask for political and military assistance. In contrast, the United States wants a constitution written first, possibly within six months, and then elections, while it stays firmly in control of military and civilian structures. U.N. officials said the constitutional and election process would and should take longer than six months to ensure the population participates. During the two years such a process might take, the occupation could prove dangerous and unsustainable, a senior U.N. official said. GERMANY REMINDS The U.S. draft offers an expanded but not pivotal role for the United Nations in conjunction with the Iraqi Governing Council and the U.S.-led coalition. It calls for a multinational force under U.S. leadership and speaks of a step-by-step transition to self-rule but no timetable. Germany's U.N. ambassador Gunter Pleuger reminded reporters that amendments his country and France had put forth were similar to Annan's position. "The resolution must give a very strong signal to the Iraqi people" that sovereignty is on the way, he said. "I think it is quite good if the secretary-general, who has to execute the mandate, tells us quite what he can and cannot do." U.S. Ambassador John Negroponte said everyone was still negotiating and Washington was open to suggestions. "I think there's room to do it in a partnership and I think there's room to do it in a collaborative way," Negroponte said. Diplomats said the United States had two choices: one was to scrap the resolution and continue its own policies in Iraq. But that would make it even more difficult to obtain military and financial aid. One purpose of the resolution is to rename the military operation as a multinational force, approved by the United Nations. That was to give political cover to nations hesitant about serving in an occupation army. Alternatively, Washington could go back to the drawing board and see if there was a possible compromise in handing over sovereignty within six months, through some kind of indirect elections, they said.